Systems/methods of preferential communications

• US 9,185,553 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2014
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Odyssey Wireless, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Odyssey Wireless, Inc.
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): FILE, ERIN M
• Application Number:
  US14/504,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20150118998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/69 Spread spectrum techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/707 using direct sequence modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7097 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2201/70715 with application-specific features
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/00 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/18 for wireless local area networks or WLAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/25 based on characteristics of target signal or of transmission as countermeasure against surveillance H04K3/827, e.g. using direct sequence spread spectrum or fast frequency hopping spread spectrum techniques H04B1/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/827 using characteristics of target signal or of transmission as countermeasure against jamming H04K3/25, e.g. using direct sequence spread spectrum or fast frequency hopping spread spectrum techniques H04B1/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0043 Realisations of complexity reduction techniques, e.g. use of look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/009 arrangements specific to transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0091 arrangements specific to receivers, e.g. format detection detection of data rate H04L25/0262; detection of coding rate H04L1/0046
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 23/02 adapted for orthogonal signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03834 using pulse shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03866 using scrambling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03987 Equalisation for sparse channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 : for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/185 : using make before break
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 : Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 : using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

A wireless network may comprise a plurality of base stations and a plurality of access points, such as femtocells, which may be installed in homes and/or offices, as deemed necessary to provide improved signal quality and increased data throughput while off-loading capacity from one or more near-by base stations. A user device may be configured to detect proximity to an access point and establish communications preferentially with the access point while refraining from communicating with a base station even though the user device is within a service region of the base station and can communicate with that base station.

Claims

1. A system comprising a mobile device that is configured to perform operations comprising:

communicating with a base station of a cellular network;

communicating with an access point that is installed in a residence/office;

preferentially communicating with the access point when proximate thereto and refraining from communicating with the base station of the cellular network when proximate to the access point even though the mobile device is able to communicate with the base station of the cellular network when proximate to the access point; and

preferentially communicating with a first access point that is installed in a residence/office responsive to an identity of the mobile device; and

refraining from communicating with a second access point that is installed in a residence/office responsive to the identity of the mobile device even though the mobile device is able to communicate with the second access point that is installed in a residence/office.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising the access point;

wherein the access point is configured to perform operations comprising;

providing communications service to a first device responsive to an identity of the first device; and

denying communications service to a second device responsive to an identity of the second device.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a processor that is configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving an identity from a device;

authenticating the device responsive to the received identity;

receiving a key from the device following said receiving an identity and following said authenticating; and

establishing communications with the device responsive to said receiving a key from the device;

wherein the processor is configured to provide the key responsive to having received the identity from the device and having authenticated the device.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a processor that is configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving an identity from a device;

authenticating the device responsive to the received identity;

transmitting a notification; and

establishing communications with the device responsive to said receiving an identity from the device, authenticating the device and transmitting a notification.

5. A method of communicating between a mobile device and a base station of a cellular network and between the mobile device and an access point that is installed in a residence/office;

the method comprising;

preferentially communicating with the access point when proximate thereto and refraining from communicating with the base station of the cellular network when proximate to the access point even though communications with the base station of the cellular network are possible when proximate to the access point;

preferentially communicating with a first access point that is installed in a residence/office responsive to an identity of the mobile device; and

refraining from communicating with a second access point that is installed in a residence/office responsive to the identity of the mobile device even though the mobile device is able to communicate with the second access point that is installed in a residence/office.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

providing communications between a first device and the access point responsive to an identity of the first device; and

denying communications between a second device and the access point responsive to an identity of the second device.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

receiving an identity from a device;

authenticating the device responsive to the received identity;

receiving a key from the device following said receiving an identity and following said authenticating; and

establishing communications with the device responsive to said receiving a key from the device;

wherein prior to said receiving a key from the device, the method further comprises;

providing the key to the device responsive to said receiving an identity and responsive to said authenticating.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

receiving an identity from a device;

authenticating the device responsive to the received identity;

transmitting a notification; and

establishing communications with the device responsive to said receiving an identity, authenticating the device and transmitting a notification.

9. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

providing an identity of the mobile device to the access point by accessing a web site and providing to the web site the identity of the mobile device; and

relaying the identity to the access point by the web site.